The 5 Phases of Sprinting: How We Train Each One at OC Sports Performance
When it comes to sprinting, most athletes (and even some coaches) focus only on straight-line speed. But true speed development is more nuanced. At OC Sports Performance in Bend, Oregon, we break sprinting down into five distinct phases—each with a specific purpose and approach to training. By understanding and training all five, we help athletes run faster, stay healthier, and improve performance on the field.
Let’s dive into each phase and how we train it.
1. Reaction Time (≈1% of the Sprint)
While reaction time may seem crucial, it only accounts for about 1% of total sprint performance. That’s right—one percent.
How we train it:
We don’t waste time on drills that offer little return. Instead, we layer reaction-based cues into movements we’re already doing, like using audible or visual cues during box squats. This primes the nervous system without taking valuable training time away from higher-impact phases.
2. Block Clearance (≈5%)
Block clearance is the moment you explode out of a static position. It’s the transition from stillness to movement, and while it’s a small part of the sprint, it sets the tone for what follows.
How we train it:
We train this phase through power-focused movements like sled pushes, loaded jumps, and explosive starts from a variety of positions. Athletes must learn to overcome inertia quickly and efficiently. Even though it makes up only 5% of the sprint, poor clearance mechanics can delay acceleration and waste valuable steps.
3. Acceleration (≈64%)
Here’s where the real work happens. Acceleration makes up the largest and most critical chunk of the sprint—64%.
How we train it:
This is our bread and butter. We prioritize:
- Flying 20-yard sprints every week using our Brower Timing System
- Jumping 3x per week, including broad jumps, vertical jumps, and box jumps
- Heavy strength training focused on posterior chain power and single-leg explosiveness
The goal? Improve force production and reduce the time it takes to reach top speed. Acceleration isn’t just about leg turnover—it’s about force applied in the right direction, quickly.
4. Top Speed Velocity (≈18%)
Once an athlete is up to speed, the goal becomes maintaining maximal velocity for as long as possible. This phase is short-lived in most sports, but it’s a clear indicator of raw sprinting potential.
How we train it:
Every month, we laser-time three 40-yard sprints to capture top-end speed. From this data, we calculate flying 10-yard splits and determine each athlete’s top speed in miles per hour using the formula:
20.45 ÷ Flying 10-yard time = MPH. An example Slater de Brun pictured above’s top 10 yard flying time is .88. 20.45/.88 = 23.23 miles per hour.
This lets us track real progress, not just guess at it. We also include technique work like A-skips, B-skips, and upright posture drills to clean up mechanics.
5. Deceleration (≈12%)
Deceleration isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential for injury prevention and sport transfer. Athletes who can decelerate quickly are less likely to suffer ACL injuries, and more likely to win in change-of-direction sports like soccer, basketball, and lacrosse.
How we train it:
Deceleration is baked into our program every week through:
- Sprint drills that demand stop-and-go effort
- Jumps with stick landings
- Strength work like eccentric split squats and Inverse Curl hamstring curls
Most injuries happen during deceleration—not top speed. So we don’t ignore it.
Why This Approach Works
We don’t do guesswork. Every athlete at OC Sports Performance has their sprints timed, their jumps tested, and their lifts tracked. That data tells us if they’re improving and where they need more focus.
We use the Brower Timing System to ensure accuracy. No hand timing. No guessing. Just real data, real speed, and real results.
Want to learn how we measure and build speed? Check out our blog on Real Speed Training in Bend, Oregon and How to Make Someone Faster in a Sprint.
Are You Training Every Phase of Your Sprint?
Most athletes spend all their time conditioning or doing agility ladders, thinking it will make them fast. It won’t.
Speed is a skill—and like all skills, it can be broken down, trained, and improved. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start measuring, book a free intro session with us today.
👉 Click here to book your intro session
We only accept 100 athletes at a time—and spots fill fast. If you quit mid-season, your spot is not guaranteed back.
Want to stay ahead of your competition? Train smarter. Track everything. Sprint faster. We’ll show you how.